Detachable strap connection to a respirator



Dec. 1, 1959 F. I. MINER 2,915,060

DETACHABLE STRAP CONNECTION TO A RESPIRATOR Filed 000. 20, 1958 v INVENTOR. fi 7 re a erz'c 11 Miner ATTORNEYS.-

DETACHABLE STRAP CONNECTION TO A I RESPIRATOR Frederic I. Miner, Warwick, R.I., assignor to Welsh Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Rhode Island .Application October 20, 1958, Serial No. 768,119 Claims. (Cl. 128-146) This invention relates to a respirator of the type in which an elastic or resilient band is used to hold a respirator on the face of the user.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a means for easily and quickly connecting the elastic band to the respirator.

U t d Sees efl pocket so that the contraction of tor having a relatively resilient material to engage the face of the user, and by reason of its resilience together with this anatomically contoured contact edge such that it can be flectually drawn to engagement with the face by an elastic or resilient band to thereby seal itself against the face and prevent the passage of air between the edges of respirator and the face.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the respirator in position on the face of the wearer.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the respirator showing an elastic strap for holding the same in place with the ends of the strap as connected to the body of the respirator and the remaining portions as broken away.

Figure 3 is a fragmental view of the end portion of one of the straps.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing one of the straps as inserted in a pocket in the side wall of the respirator adjacent this rear edge and leading rearwardly.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view of modified end of one of the straps.

In proceeding with this invention, I have formed a respirator which has resilient side walls which are thin adjacent their rear edges and so shaped as to follow the anatomical contour of the face, and by flexing, conform to the shape of the face so that when drawn against the face, an air tight seal will be provided, and in order to draw this body against the face, I have provided one or more elastic or resilient straps which pass about the head and resiliently hold the body of the respirator against the face, covering the nose and mouth. In order that these elastic straps which, by reason of loss of their elasticity or other injury may be easily replaced. I have provided pockets adjacent the rear edges of the side walls of the respirator which pockets face forwardly with the sides of the pockets resilient, and I provide a relatively stilf end on the elastic strap, which is of such a size that when it is inserted in the resilient pocket, it flexes the Patented Dec. 1, 1959 broad surface of the edge will contact the face with a,

pressure to exclude air from passing about its edge to the nose or mouth.

With reference to the drawings, 10 designates generally the head of a person and 11 designates generally a respirator, which is of a size of cover the nose and mouth. The sides are flexible and their edges are of a shape to conform anatomically to the shape of the face 12. The rear edge 13 is sufficiently thin so as to easily flex and conform to the shape of the face. Filtering means are provided between the cover 14 and the body while each flexible side 15 is provided with a resilient pocket 16 for the reception and retaining of straps 17 and 18.

The pocket 16 is provided with two recesses. One is designated 19 and the other designated 20, there being a dividing wall 21 between. In this showing of the invention, I have provided two straps 17 and 18 which embrace the back of the head and are secured at their opposite ends in pockets on the opposite side walls 15. Each strap is soft and flexible with its ends provided with some stiffening means so that its end may be inserted in the pocket by thrusting the end therein.

The pocket designated 16, as above mentioned, is divided into two parts, 19 and 20 with a division 21 between, and the pocket .is generally of a resilient elasticlike material which may be flexed outwardly or stretched somewhat. In order to detachably or removably position a strap in one section of the pocket, I have provided a stiffening member 22 on the end of the strap, such as 17, as shown in Figure 2. This stiffener is in the form of a metal cap which may be clenched on to the elastic strap 17 or 18 by forcing its side walls toward each other to tightly bind on the strap. The size of this stiffened end formed by this metal cap thereon is such that when the end 22 is positioned in the pocket or section of the pocket, it will flex the pocket and thus the pocket will upon contractions grip it snugly. This stiffening of the end enlarges it and enables the end to be forced into the pocket so as to be secured thereto. Thus, it is a simple matter to force the end of the strap so stiffened and enlarged in the pocket for attaching it to the respirator, and the strap may be as easily detached therefrom by pulling on the strap in the direction of the depth of the pocket to move it in a straight line out of the pocket. However, in use, the strap is bent back on itself as shown clearly in Figure 4 by a bend 23 so that the pull on the strap will tend to move the stiffened end of the strap into the pocket and at the same time, a pull on the strap from the maximum width of the respirator and back on itself over the outer surface of the pocket designated 24 serves to pull the edge of the respirator in by a sort of leverage action as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4 so as to place it snugly against the face 12.

It will be understood that other means may be utilized for stiffening the end of the'strap, such for instance, as immersing it in a resin, in a solvent which will quickly evaporate and will stiffen up and enlarge the end 25 of the strap 17 so it will act in a similar manner to the capping of the end of the elastic strap as above designated and this may then be utilized in the same manner as the metal tip shown in Figure 3.

Two of these straps are shown in this particular instance for better pulling the respirator against the face. The securing of each of the straps is the same in both instances.

the pocket grips the j pocket, said strap end being of a size to flex the pocket' as inserted therein so that-the contraction of the pocket will grip it and of sufficient rigidity with referenbeto' the pocket to be thrust therein, said'strap being folded on itself to lead rearwardly over the pocket when in position on the head of the wearer.

2. A respirator as in claim-1 wherein'said pocket-is divided into two parts and two straps are inserted'therein.

3. A respirator as in claim 2 wherein said end is stiffened by a metal cap attached thereto.

4. A respirator as in claim 2 wherein said end is stiffened by a metal cap attached thereto by crimping 5 the edges of the cap on the strap.

5. A respirator as in claim 2 wherein said end is stiflened by a resinous material applied to said end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,863,725 Lustgarten June 21, 1932 1,948,844 Dawes Feb. 27, 1934 2,827,900 Marietta Mar. 25, 1958 

